Postdoctoral Associate

Position Function:

We are looking for a postdoc with strong plant stress physiology skills and an interest in connecting classical stress physiology with remote sensing to minimize major row crops' yield gaps under stress environments. This project utilizes ground-based and aerial high-resolution sensors to monitor plant health in response to different stresses. The postdoc is expected to research harnessing interdisciplinary methods to improve crop health in different production settings. The successful applicant will design and coordinate stress physiology experiments involving multiple row crops using growth chambers, greenhouse, and field facilities. The candidate is expected to have advanced plant stress physiology, translational research, and statistical skills to analyze large datasets. The selected applicant expected to experiment with other multi-disciplinary team members.

Salary Grade: UC

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1) Design and conduct stress physiology experiments using a range of phenotyping facilities.
2) Develop proxies for stress adaptive traits to meet the needs of research in collaboration with USDA Agricultural Research Services (ARS) scientists
3) Maintain smooth conduct of experiment(s) by troubleshooting and fostering a productive teamwork environment
4) Actively contribute to the preparation of reports, presentations, and draft manuscripts for publications
5) Participate in the development of research proposals, including reviewing related literature
6) Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

1) Ph.D. in plant physiology, agronomy, or a closely related field.
2) Knowledge of stress physiology is very desirable.
3) A strong row crop background and familiarity with modern agricultural production practices are preferred.
4) Experience with field and greenhouse work is beneficial.
5) Excellent written and oral communication skills.
6) Experience with advanced statistical design and data analysis in R or any statistical software for data processing, visualization, and interpretation.

Preferred Qualifications:

1) Experience in stress physiology and sensor-based phenotyping
2) Experience with reviewing the literature to identify knowledge gaps
3) Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team
4) Demonstrated leadership or interpersonal skills are essential

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

The ideal candidate for this job will (listed in order of importance):
1) Have a strong background in stress physiology or sensor-based phenotyping
2) Proven publication record, experience in supervising or overseeing the research work
3) Willingness to work in an interdisciplinary or collaborative team environment

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply: http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

Apply online by submitting a cover letter, resume, and a copy of your transcript(s). Any social security numbers included on requested transcripts should be redacted prior to submitting online.

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon funding availability.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.